Nigel Mansell tests son Greg’s World Series by Renault car (Pictures)

Nigel Mansell has dabbled in sports cars in recent years but last weekend he got behind the wheel of a single-seater at the track where he scored some of his most memorable wins – Silverstone.

Mansell demonstrated the Formula Renault 3.5 car raced by son Greg in the championship on Sunday after testing the car on Friday. Here’s some pictures of the 1992 world champion in action.

His stint in the Ultimate-run car was his first time driving a single-seater in public since the final GP Masters race at Silvertone in 2006.

Mansell won his 1992 champion in a Renault-engined Williams. He won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone that year, as well as in 1991 and 1987.

He managed a 1’40s lap on Friday, six seconds off the pace of the championship runners.

Mansell said afterwards:

“My memories whenever I go down Hangar Straight are of the days in qualifying with 1000bhp, so you always want a bit more power. I gave myself a bit of a fright today when I went to hit the brakes for Becketts, I moved my right foot across and ended up hitting the accelerator. I managed to slow the car down in time as I wasn’t going flat-out, after that the left-foot braking took a bit of getting used to.

Greg currently lies 19th in the WSR standings with three points.

Were you at Silverstone this weekend? Did you see Mansell drive? Leave a comment vbelow.

It’s nice to see veterans take to the track again. i would definitely watch an F1 race with today’s cars and yesterday’s champs. Hey Bernie, get your head out of the Political crap heap and make it happen….you can even get to drive the safety car since you’re a senior as well. it will be a a Mercedes Gullwing

A Renault in McLaren house colours??? Whatever next :-)
I saw Ooor Nige drive in a ‘Legends’ series race at Silverstone a few years ago, but I think the series has folded now. All I remember is that he had oil on his rear wheels and span more times than Massa!
You would think with the interest generated by the likes of the Festival of Speed that it would be possible to have ‘Veterans Only’ race in support of some GPs, maybe using the previous year’s cars…..

I was there at Silverstone for both days this weekend and saw ‘Our Nige” do a few laps in his son’s car. He did a few donuts in each corner of the circuit – bar the one I was in at the end of the Hangar Straight.

On another issue: I don’t really rate Greg Mansell’s chances of climbing the motor racing ladder any time soon. Think he’s found his level in FR3.5.

are Brendon Hartley & Jaime Alguersuari identical twins? i think they would be the first identical twins in f1 :) the look exactly the same. wow!!! i’ve never seen such exact looking identical twins in my entire life. and they are striking the same pose!!!!

mansell has tried out every thing in life, hasen’t he? won the drivers championship in his last full formula one season in style. its been quite a struggle. i would suggest him to stand for the coming elections in oct. just try out his luck. you never know.

Can’t see it happening , but would be cool. And maybe it could work.
Though i am of the opinion the president should have no ties to any of the motorsports just be someone who can run the FIA and have advisors for each sport unders it’s direction.

Good to see Nige’ just driving a car for fun. I can’t imagine many other modern world champions putting themselves in a position to be slower by some of the youngsters (one in particular recently declined to race a lap for fun in a reasonably priced car.)

If you mean Schumacher he’s contracted to only drive certain makes of car.
In fact, most manufacturer drivers are, I believe. It stops the grubby tabloids doing a “Hamilton chooses a Ferrari/ Schumacher drives a Renault” type headlines.

Yes! I was there aswell! We sat right at the top of one of the grandstands on the outside of Copse – we could see loads of action and a TV screen, so it was pretty good. He took a while to get going, but Nige did some donuts right in front of us and we saw him stall the car haha – a little more practice needed I think?

i was in the crowd sunday……..no 5 was put on his car out of respect by the team………nigel set off like the world championship depended on it :-)…..treated us to tyre smoking donuts too………awesum……..loved every minute…..welcome back nigel :-)